Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to increase the number of direct flights to Scotland following the publication of its Tourism Framework for Action and what additional budget will be allocated for this purpose.

Lewis Macdonald: The role of direct air services in meeting Scotland’s air transport needs, will be a key issue in the forthcoming air transport consultation exercise. The Scottish Executive has no specific budget provision for the promotion of new direct air links. The Executive will continue to work in partnership with the Enterprise Networks, VisitScotland and the airport operators, on how best any available funding can be deployed for the greatest benefit of the Scottish economy and tourism.

Children's Hearings

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training is given to members of the Children’s Panels in order for them to detect and understand the needs of children (a) with Asperger’s syndrome, (b) on the autistic spectrum and (c) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Cathy Jamieson: During pre-service and in-service training, panel members receive general information on child development and special needs. Relevant training materials are prepared in consultation with child psychiatrists and psychologists, who are experts in children’s communication. Specific reference is made to the disorders mentioned.

  If, at a hearing, a panel member has a concern which is not addressed in the reports before it, further advice may be sought from professionals.

Civil Servants

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants are currently on secondment to external organisations; what the nature is of each such organisation, and how long each secondment will last.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of civil servants currently on secondment to external organisations is 57. The duration of secondments will be part of a forthcoming interchange review. The nature of the receiving organisations and how long each secondment will last is as follows:

  Total Number of Outward Secondments: 57

  Nature of Organisations

  


Public Sector


13




Charity


12




European


11




Industry and Commerce


10




Scottish Enterprise


5




Academic


5




Trade Union


1




  Duration of Secondments

  


0-1 year


1-2 years


2-3 years


3+ years




10


31


10


6

Civil Servants

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employees of external organisations are currently on secondment to it; to which department each such employee is seconded, and how long each secondment will last.

Mr Andy Kerr: The current number of employees on secondment to the Scottish Executive from external organisations is 62. The duration of secondments will be part of a forthcoming interchange review. The length of each secondment and the Scottish Executive Department to which they are seconded, are as follows:

  


Total Number of Inward Secondees


62




Number of secondments by host department




Health Department


26




Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department


10




Development Department


8




Environment and Rural Affairs Department


8




Education Department


5




Justice Department


2




Finance and Central Services


2




Corporate Services


1




  Duration of Secondments

  


0–1 year


1-2 years


2-3 years


3+ years




19


27


13


3

Civil Servants

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants in senior grades (a) are women, (b) have a disability and (c) are from ethnic minorities.

Mr Andy Kerr: Within the Executive’s Senior Civil Service (SCS) grades there are currently 55 women (25.7%). There are also a small number of staff who have self-declared a disability. However, as there are less than five of these, a precise number cannot be given to preserve confidentiality. The Executive is re-surveying its staff with regard to ethnic origin and accurate statistics are therefore not presently available. These numbers do not include all of those successful in the recent SCS recruitment exercise.

Civil Servants

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure diversity of employees in the senior grades of the civil service and what specific targets have been set in respect of the number of (a) women, (b) people with disabilities and (c) people from ethnic minorities employed in such grades.

Mr Andy Kerr: We work to high standards in relation to fair and open competition and incorporate diversity as an integral part of any promotion and recruitment process. Those involved in the selection processes, are made fully aware of the need to ensure diversity on each occasion.

  Targets have been set by Cabinet Office for all departments under the three headings – women, people with disabilities and people from ethnic minorities in senior grades. The Scottish Executive’s targets are to have 30% of women, 3% of staff with disabilities and 1.7% of staff from ethnic minorities in the Senior Civil Service by 2005.

Digital Technology

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the successful bids for digital communities.

Iain Gray: Final bids for the digital communities initiative were received on 1 March 2002 and we expect to announce the two successful bids this month.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) current average waiting times are and (b) size of each waiting list is for prescriptions for (i) methadone and (ii) other drug substitutes in each NHS board and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last five years.

Dr Richard Simpson: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Waiting time information for drug misuse treatment is not held consistently by drug services across Scotland. We are, however, currently seeking from Drug Action Teams some local information on waiting times for some drug services as part of the annual corporate planning arrangements.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for (a) methadone (b) other drug substitutes have been issued (i) so far this year and (ii) in each of the last five years in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: In the following tables, the number of prescriptions issued for methadone in each of the last five years in each health board area is shown in table 1, and table 2 sets out the number of dispensings carried out in accordance with prescriber’s instructions. Current year data are not available.

  It is not possible to determine the volume of prescribing of drug substitutes, other than methadone because such drugs can also be appropriately prescribed for the treatment of certain medical conditions.

  These data refer to prescriptions dispensed in the community and do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

  Table 1: Methadone – Number of Prescribed Items:

  


Health Board


Number of Prescribed Items




 


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01




Argyll and Clyde


8,167


13,780


18,451


21,749


24,319




Ayrshire and Arran


12,789


21,649


23,751


25,209


26,576




Borders


427


477


473


425


521




Dumfries and Galloway


6,548


6,259


7,139


6,531


7,238




Fife


5,017


6,677


7,599


9,449


11,398




Forth Valley


2,758


2,744


2,362


2,561


3,094




Grampian


13,396


15,006


17,924


22,863


26,931




Greater Glasgow


69,023


75,689


80,342


87,152


98,897




Highland


1,068


1,082


1,626


2,461


2,388




Lanarkshire


11,034


12,552


17,847


24,929


28,940




Lothian


18,549


18,877


19,567


23,139


26,312




Orkney


17


15


17


16


9




Shetland


153


245


372


353


652




Tayside


13,919


14,533


15,155


15,709


17,172




Western Isles


3


7


10


11


3




Total


162,868


189,592


212,635


242,557


274,450




  Table 2: Methadone – Number of Dispensings:

  


Health Board


Number of Dispensed Items




 


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01




Argyll and Clyde


72,238


133,726


201,803


243,356


314,851




Ayrshire and Arran


58,797


103,716


113,963


125,240


155,010




Borders


2,314


2,927


2,244


2,102


3,010




Dumfries and Galloway


14,877


15,897


28,873


35,832


40,333




Fife


29,979


42,623


64,715


85,624


117,528




Forth Valley


23,428


31,427


32,332


39,700


52,534




Grampian


73,782


101,494


152,075


215,705


283,015




Greater Glasgow


619,964


740,037


830,292


914,886


1,178,988




Highland


4,334


4,271


7,089


13,769


14,422




Lanarkshire


30,885


43,960


80,578


141,789


205,731




Lothian


145,827


161,738


197,206


245,302


297,526




Orkney


17


15


17


16


9




Shetland


395


493


754


626


2,206




Tayside


101,094


119,445


141,752


163,207


189,665




Western Isles


9


34


55


57


6




Total


1,177,940


1,501,803


1,853,748


2,227,211


2,854,834

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug misusers have been registered in each NHS board area (a) so far this year and (b) in each of the last five years and, in each case, what percentage of such misusers are prescribed (i) methadone and (ii) other drug substitutes.

Dr Richard Simpson: There is no longer an index of registered drug addicts. However, the following table shows the number of new individual patients/clients by NHS board of residence, reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database during the five years ending 31 March 2001. This information has already been published in the ISD Scotland publication Drug Misuse in Scotland 2001 and is available on the national drug misuse website at:

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org

  Information on the estimated number of problem drug users at both national and local level is contained in Estimating the National and Local Prevalence of Problem Drug Misuse in Scotland, published in November 2001, also available on the national drug misuse website.

  Information on the number of drug users being prescribed methadone or other drug substitutes is not held centrally.

  New1 individual patients/clients2,3 reported to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database by NHS Board of residence:

  Years ending 31 March

  


 


Numbers




 


1996-97


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01




Scotland


8,652


8,846


9,280


10,608


10,591




By NHS Board




Argyll and Clyde


957


1,365


1,459


1,228


1,330




Ayrshire and Arran4


303


356


141


1,182


1,239




Borders


59


21


79


80


102




Dumfries and Galloway


149


153


231


200


207




Fife


384


362


396


433


598




Forth Valley


172


160


334


281


247




Grampian


947


1,056


835


712


631




Greater Glasgow


3,224


2,833


2,871


3,306


3,290




Highland


58


60


74


124


124




Lanarkshire


353


320


427


551


513




Lothian


1,886


1,789


1,876


2,000


1,947




Tayside


169


357


577


551


405




Island Boards5


28


46


29


31


24




Outside Scotland


3


3


2


7


7




  Notes:

  1. It is emphasised the information held on the Scottish Drug Misuse Database relates to new patients/clients. The definition of "new" is (a) the person is attending the particular service for the first time ever, or (b) the person has attended before but not within the previous six months.

  2. All figures in this table exclude penal establishment inmates and information received from needle exchanges.

  3. The database collects anonymous information about new problem drug users presenting at a broad range of drug services across, Scotland, including general practices.

  4. In 1999-2000 information was received for the first time from nine agencies in the Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board area.

  5. Shetland and Western Isles NHS Boards.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on the basis of how many samples taken in each catchment area in the proposed Aberdeenshire, Banff and Buchan Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, designation of the zone was proposed.

Ross Finnie: The British Geological Survey (BGS) collated nitrate data from 809 sources in the proposed Aberdeenshire, Banff and Buchan NVZ, including private water supplies, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) groundwater monitoring network, public water supply sources and its own boreholes. Information about these sources can be found in table 5.5 of the report Groundwater nitrate vulnerable zones for Scotland (Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 18567), prepared by BGS for the Department. The distribution of the sample sources can be found in Fig. 5.16 of the report.

  Private water supplies are monitored in accordance with the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 1992, which lay down the standards for these supplies and specify the duties of local authorities, in respect of sampling and analysis. Sampling frequency depends on what the supply is used for, how much is used and how many people use it, and can vary between once every five years to four times per year. The SEPA policy is to monitor groundwater sources in its network four times per year. Detailed information about individual sources and sample numbers, can be found on the GIS CD-ROM, which accompanies the BGS report.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on the basis of how many samples taken in each catchment area in the proposed Strathmore Nitrate Vulnerable Zone, designation of the zone was proposed.

Ross Finnie: Detailed information about sample numbers and distribution can be found in the report Groundwater nitrate vulnerable zones for Scotland (Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 18567), as detailed in the answer to question S1W-23978 today.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the Scottish Environment Protection Agency monitoring sites located in the proposed Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in the North-east Scotland parliamentary region.

Ross Finnie: The locations of Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) monitoring sites in the north-east Scotland parliamentary region, can be found from the SEPA maps entitled SEPA Groundwater Monitoring (Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 20139) and SEPA Surface Water Monitoring (Bib. number 20140). Further locational details of the monitoring sites can be obtained from the local SEPA office in Aberdeen, or from the SEPA Corporate Office in Stirling.

Local Government Finance

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-665 by Mr Jack McConnell on 6 September 1999, what the capital and revenue expenditure by each local authority was in (a) cash and (b) real terms in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) 2001-02.

Mr Andy Kerr: The capital expenditure figures for local authorities are given in the following table. Information relating to 2001-02 is not yet available.

  The revenue expenditure totals for local authorities are given in the following CIPFA publications, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre:

  Rating Review: Actuals of Income and Expenditure 1999-2000 (Bib. number 14654).

  Rating Review: Actuals of Income and Expenditure 2000-01 (Bib. number 18781).

  Rating Review: Estimates of Income and Expenditure 2001-02 (Bib. number 17055).

  Expenditure on both the revenue account and capital account includes capital funded from current revenue and these figures are shown separately on the capital table to avoid double counting.

  


Gross Capital Payments (including HRA Housing)




£000



 

1999-2000


2000-01




Cash


Total Gross Capital1 Payments both 
  Funded and not Funded from Revenue


of which Capital funded from Current Revenue


Total Gross Capital1 Payments both 
  Funded and not Funded from Revenue


of which Capital funded from Current Revenue




Scotland


1,029,960


213,564


1,012,556


210,681




Aberdeen City


48,852


19,083


40,746


15,254




Aberdeenshire


31,225


7,814


32,661


9,903




Angus


16,900


4,833


17,279


5,414




Argyll and Bute


16,511


2,343


16,011


834




Clackmannanshire


9,352


2,131


9,594


1,867




Dumfries and Galloway


25,534


7,037


29,527


8,588




Dundee City


31,368


5,401


29,622


4,405




East Ayrshire


15,332


2,961


17,106


3,947




East Dunbartonshire


11,499


989


12,882


1,492




East Lothian


16,944


4,482


19,664


2,769




East Renfrewshire


8,161


862


11,604


1,893




Edinburgh, City of


101,385


11,024


77,379


10,293




Eilean Siar


16,692


1,178


20,299


811




Falkirk


27,459


5,632


24,811


6,100




Fife


54,812


14,997


44,074


11,165




Glasgow City


141,709


32,135


148,704


38,974




Highland


42,396


4,753


45,758


6,225




Inverclyde


17,471


3,079


15,439


1,935




Midlothian


11,899


2,163


12,718


1,417




Moray


11,733


1,165


14,004


1,745




North Ayrshire


15,715


457


17,975


2,364




North Lanarkshire


44,242


6,571


48,344


6,819




Orkney Islands


15,917


7,685


11,462


3,084




Perth and Kinross


24,255


4,576


26,668


6,505




Renfrewshire


31,858


5,244


25,621


1,270




Scottish Borders


16,140


4,997


16,484


95




Shetland Islands


15,297


9,473


23,036


20,054




South Ayrshire


17,859


3,326


14,976


2,655




South Lanarkshire


69,035


20,077


61,222


10,648




Stirling


20,289


1,141


25,277


4,456




West Dunbartonshire


16,642


793


13,407


361




West Lothian


35,078


9,277


37,261


9,958




Central Fire


1,874


40


747


0




Dumfries and Galloway Fire


675


160


492


160




Fife Fire


1,040


0


888


0




Grampian Fire


2,029


7


3,539


300




Highland and Islands Fire


2,418


0


2,102


0




Lothian and Borders Fire


1,994


0


1,869


0




Strathclyde Fire


5,586


0


6,201


0




Tayside Fire


1,398


114


1,145


118




Central Police


980


310


1,074


310




Dumfries and Galloway Police


1,070


246


1,037


260




Fife Police


1,040


0


1,466


250




Grampian Police


2,865


750


1,283


775




Lothian and Borders Police


2,251


1,000


3,772


1,000




Northern Police


2,700


0


1,790


0




Strathclyde Police


10,713


0


9,924


324




Tayside Police


1,276


150


2,079


150




Forth Bridge


2,842


2,842


3,617


3,617




Tay Bridge


866


266


1,081


117




SPTA


6,782


0


6,835


0




  Source: As reported by authorities on the statistical return Capital Payments and their financing (CPR5).

  Note:

  1. Capital is recorded on a cash basis.

  


 
Gross Capital Payments (including HRA Housing)




£000




Real Terms2


1999-2000


2000-01




Total Gross Capital1 Payments both 
  Funded and not Funded from Revenue


of which Capital funded from Current Revenue


Total Gross Capital1 Payments both 
  Funded and not Funded from Revenue


of which Capital funded from Current Revenue




Scotland


1,048,135


217,333


1,012,556


210,681




Aberdeen City


49,714


19,420


40,746


15,254




Aberdeenshire


31,776


7,952


32,661


9,903




Angus


17,198


4,918


17,279


5,414




Argyll and Bute


16,802


2,384


16,011


834




Clackmannanshire


9,517


2,169


9,594


1,867




Dumfries and Galloway


25,985


7,161


29,527


8,588




Dundee City


31,922


5,496


29,622


4,405




East Ayrshire


15,603


3,013


17,106


3,947




East Dunbartonshire


11,702


1,006


12,882


1,492




East Lothian


17,243


4,561


19,664


2,769




East Renfrewshire


8,305


877


11,604


1,893




Edinburgh, City of


103,174


11,219


77,379


10,293




Eilean Siar


16,987


1,199


20,299


811




Falkirk


27,944


5,731


24,811


6,100




Fife


55,779


15,262


44,074


11,165




Glasgow City


144,210


32,702


148,704


38,974




Highland


43,144


4,837


45,758


6,225




Inverclyde


17,779


3,133


15,439


1,935




Midlothian


12,109


2,201


12,718


1,417




Moray


11,940


1,186


14,004


1,745




North Ayrshire


15,992


465


17,975


2,364




North Lanarkshire


45,023


6,687


48,344


6,819




Orkney Islands


16,198


7,821


11,462


3,084




Perth and Kinross


24,683


4,657


26,668


6,505




Renfrewshire


32,420


5,337


25,621


1,270




Scottish Borders


16,425


5,085


16,484


95




Shetland Islands


15,567


9,640


23,036


20,054




South Ayrshire


18,174


3,385


14,976


2,655




South Lanarkshire


70,253


20,431


61,222


10,648




Stirling


20,647


1,161


25,277


4,456




West Dunbartonshire


16,936


807


13,407


361




West Lothian


35,697


9,441


37,261


9,958




Central Fire


1,907


41


747


0




Dumfries and Galloway Fire


687


163


492


160




Fife Fire


1,058


0


888


0




Grampian Fire


2,065


7


3,539


300




Highland and Islands Fire


2,461


0


2,102


0




Lothian and Borders Fire


2,029


0


1,869


0




Strathclyde Fire


5,685


0


6,201


0




Tayside Fire


1,423


116


1,145


118




Central Police


997


315


1,074


310




Dumfries and Galloway Police


1,089


250


1,037


260




Fife Police


1,058


0


1,466


250




Grampian Police


2,916


763


1,283


775




Lothian and Borders Police


2,291


1,018


3,772


1,000




Northern Police


2,748


0


1,790


0




Strathclyde Police


10,902


0


9,924


324




Tayside Police


1,299


153


2,079


150




Forth Bridge


2,892


2,892


3,617


3,617




Tay Bridge


881


271


1,081


117




SPTA


6,902


0


6,835


0




  Source: As reported by authorities on the statistical return Capital Payments and their Financing (CPR5).

  Notes:

  1. Capital is recorded on a cash basis.

  2. Real terms figures are calculated using the Treasury GDP deflator and are at 2000-01 prices. The deflator for 1999-2000 is 98.266.

Modernising Government

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional money will be made available through the Modernising Government Fund to support the many modernisation projects that are under way.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am pleased to say that I have been able to provide up to an additional £15 million to add to the £15 million that was previously announced in the budget.

  The fund has attracted 93 bids from the public sector to accelerate change and improve the services they deliver to the public. This injection of up to £30 million of new money over the next two years will help to make that happen.

  It is particularly encouraging that nearly all the project proposals involve public organisations working together. It is this joining up of the public sector that will significantly enhance their capability to provide services that are more convenient for the public.

NHS Services

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of commissioning the review by PricewaterhouseCoopers of non-clinical services in NHS Grampian.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for NHS Grampian, who commissioned the review in order to improve services for patients.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the success of each prison is measured with regard to rehabilitation.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is not possible to measure rehabilitation directly and future behaviour is affected by many factors, many of which occur outwith the prison, but two of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the SPS relate to the work we do to assist prisoner rehabilitation:

  Programmes to address offending behaviour; the number of programmes delivered and percentage of those which are fully accredited.

  Education; the number of learning hours delivered.

  In addition, the work of SPS in the fields of health, medical, nursing, drugs, work, employability and throughcare, will contribute to rehabilitation by encouraging and helping the prisoner to be more responsible.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the recidivism rates are for each prison and how such rates are measured.

Mr Jim Wallace: Recidivism figures were published by the Scottish Executive in February 2001. The study, which looked at a cohort of offenders released in 1995, recorded that 45% were reconvicted within two years.

  The Scottish Prison Service publishes return to custody figures. These are not recidivism figures but the number of people released from prison, who are returned to custody within a two-year period. The most recent Research Bulletin setting out the figures for those released in 1997 was published in December 2001 (Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 10938).

  The data is not broken down by establishment, as many offenders do not spend their complete sentence in any one prison.

Racism

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing its anti-racism campaign.

Iain Gray: The Executive is currently undertaking preparatory work, with a view to the campaign starting in the late spring/early summer.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14599 by Sarah Boyack on 23 April 2001, whether it will give details of the expenditure currently planned for (a) each trunk roads project named in that answer and (b) any new such projects in each financial year from 2001-02 to 2005-06.

Lewis Macdonald: The following table provides our latest estimates of expenditure for the schemes announced on 27 March 2001. These estimates may change as procurement proceeds. We have since made one addition to this programme, the A75 Planting End to Drumflower, which is also listed below. Further schemes will be added as budgetary commitments permit.

  


Motorway and Trunk Road Schemes
Estimated Costs


2001-02
(£000)


2002-03
(£000)


2003-04
(£000)


2004-05
(£000)


2005-06
(£000)




A68 Soutra


1,457


29


0


0


0




A726 West Mains to Peel Park Roundabout


850


25


0


0


0




A76 Enterkinfoot (Phase 6)


975


50


0


0


0




A77 Hansel Village Footbridge


600


15


0


0


0




A77 Sandyford Roundabout


0


970


30


0


0




A77 Turnberry Climbing Lane


0


100


1,850


50


0




A87 Shiel Bridge Deck Replacement


350


7


0


0


0




A9 North Kessock Junction


50


450


0


0


0




A90 Bridge of Dee to Ellon Road


0


200


40


0


0




A90 Hatton Bends


100


1,500


500


50


0




A90 Inchmichael


3,781


100


0


0


0




A90 Kinfauns (Phase 2)


1,350


75


0


0


0




A90 Cammachmore


1,150


50


0


0


0




A90 North Anderson Drive


1,000


30


0


0


0




A95 Advie Bridge Replacement


280


5


0


0


0




A95 Cromdale


5


100


2


0


0




A95 Gaich to Craggan


50


600


800


30


0




M73 Drumcavel to Mollinsburn


690


20


0


0


0




M80 A80 to M876 Jn. 5


200


600


10


0


0




M876 Bowers to Canard


540


10


0


0


0




A828 Connel Bridge


40


750


750


50


0




A876 Erskine Bridge


150


1,100


1,000


50


0




M90 Friarton Bridge


710


10


0


0


0




A1 Bowerhouse to Spott Road


557


5,069


31


31


33




A1 Howburn to Houndwood


266


4,882


51


46


41




A9 Bankfoot


10


350


20


0


0




A75 Chapelton to Bush o' Bield1


81


0


0


0


0




A76 Crossroads


301


1,640


20


0


0




A76 Gateside


151


1,611


20


0


0




A77 Blackneuk Improvements


600


50


0


0


0




A77 Symington Roundabout


50


1,000


815


50


0




A92 Preston to Balfarg


508


2,822


30


0


0




A96 Newtongarry


50


1,500


1,300


0


0




A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel


5,255


5,468


391


154


154




M8 in Glasgow (Jn. 22)2


0


0


0


0


0




A90 Inchture


320


4,842


65


64


0




A737 Roadhead Roundabout


0


100


1,100


50


0




A75 Barfill to Bettyknowes


18


105


2,216


11


11




A75 Cairntop to Barlae


80


358


4,861


22


22




A75 Newton Stewart


12


87


1,962


9


9




A76 Enterkinfoot (Phase 7)


0


20


480


10


0




A77 Burnside Improvement


0


50


650


20


0




A78 Inverkip Street Rail Bridge


300


1,800


35


0


0




A8 Baillieston to Newhouse


127


16,797


14,300


283


272




A82 Dumbuck Junction


0


50


850


50


0




A90 Glamis


83


2,044


440


25


25




A90 Kirriemuir


33


2,565


563


31


31




A96 Coachford


155


203


2,100


1,600


0




M8 Gantry Refurbishment


200


500


350


350


0




M8 High Mast Lighting


625


500


500


500


0




M8 Kingston Bridge


3,000


7,500


9,500


6,000


500




A1 Haddington to Dunbar


1,331


20,989


22,177


3,496


202




A1 Thistly Cross to Bowerhouse


76


30


370


2,273


86




A75 Dunragit Bypass3


0


412


417


69


442




A75 Hardgrove3


0


180


185


100


194




A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston Bypass


784


930


16,800


16,300


0




A876 Kincardine Bridge Eastern Link


300


250


7,250


0


0




A876 Kincardine Bridge3


330


300


250


12,100


28,000




A90 Glendoick


161


107


162


4,525


55




A90 Kinfauns


151


95


162


4,525


55




A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass


520


350


2,250


12,000


3,200




M74 Northern Extension4


282


12,142


10,140


44,342


26,300




M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick5


1,460


1,330


600


400


0




A75 Planting End to Drumflower6


0


80


240


3764


17




  Notes:

  1. Scheme suspended due to contaminated land.

  2. Scheme design being reviewed, with alternative measures under consideration.

  3. Significant costs will be incurred beyond 2005-06.

  4. The profile of spend will be reviewed as the scheme is developed and decisions taken on procurement. Costs will be incurred beyond 2005-06.

  5. The costs shown are for scheme preparation, advance works and land only. Procurement will be by Public/Private Partnership (PPP) jointly with the Glasgow Southern Orbital Road. The annual service charge in respect of the PPP will commence on completion and the Executive's share will fall on the Motorway and Trunk Road Programme.

  6. Identified as a replacement for the suspended A75 Chapelton to Bush o' Bield. Development of this scheme will be dependent upon the outcome of further analysis.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reached any conclusions in its review of the A77 Route Action Plan in relation to existing proposals for Ayr-Minishant, Minishant-Maybole, Maybole-Kirkoswald, Haggstone-Council Boundary, Ardwell-Slockenray and Auchencrosh-Carloch and, in respect of further consideration for future implementation, which of these schemes have been (a) retained, (b) ruled out, (c) replaced by alternative schemes and (d) radically redesigned or re-costed.

Lewis Macdonald: The consultants undertaking the Review of Route Action Plans are due to submit their technical report later this spring. Decisions on the way forward with the Route Action Plan (RAP) methodology and with individual RAPs, such as the A77, will be taken after the Executive has considered the consultant’s report.

Schools

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take on plans by the Lord Lyon for schools to pay fees in respect of school badges and crests.

Mr Jim Wallace: This question follows from a report in the Sunday Herald of 10 March 2002, which the newspaper now accepts was inaccurate. The Lord Lyon has no plans to ask schools to pay fees to register school badges or crests.

Scottish Executive

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, its IT equipment has been lost in each of the past three years, broken down by department.

Andy Kerr: The following table shows, by department as currently named, IT equipment that has been lost in each of the last three complete financial years:

  


Financial Year


Department


No. of Items


% of Total




1998-99


Development Department


 


 




Education Department


 


 




Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department


 


 




Health Department


 


 




Justice Department


 


 




Environment and Rural Affairs Department


1


 




Finance and Central Services Department


 


 




Corporate Services


3


 




Total


4


0.06%




1999-2000


Development Department


2


 




Education Department


1


 




Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department


 


 




Health Department


 


 




Justice Department


 


 




Environment and Rural Affairs Department


 


 




Finance and Central Services Department


1


 




Corporate Services


4


 




Total


8


0.11%




2000-01


Development Department


 


 




Education Department


 


 




Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department


 


 




Health Department


4


 




Justice Department


 


 




Environment and Rural Affairs Department


1


 




Finance and Central Services Department


2


 




Corporate Services


1


 




Total


8


0.11%




  These figures are based on 7,000 items of desktop IT equipment, which covers PCs and laptops, but excludes peripheral equipment such as printers.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding it plans to make available for the marketing of Scotland overseas following the publication of its Tourism Framework for Action .

Mike Watson: The Framework for Action is not a new strategy. It contains new actions, mainly for the industry, that will meet our aims for this important sector of the economy. The public agencies who provide support to the industry, will be able to do so within existing and planned funding levels.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20724 by Ross Finnie on 20 December 2001, when it will make an announcement on what additional funding will be allocated to local authorities to help with the storage of old refrigerators and freezers.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23475 on 7 March 2002.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4360 by Ross Finnie on 20 December 2001, whether technical standards for the storage and treatment of refrigerators and freezers have now been prepared.

Ross Finnie: The guidance on storage standards was issued to local authorities and industry on 6 December. That for treatment is being finalised following consultation and will issue shortly.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities are currently storing domestic refrigerators and freezers following the introduction of EC Regulation 2037/2000 and what is the cost of this to each local authority.

Ross Finnie: Information on which local authorities are currently storing such appliances, is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23475 on 7 March 2002, regarding the allocation of funds to authorities to assist with storage, treatment and disposal.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods are currently available to local authorities for the safe disposal and treatment of end-of-life refrigerators and freezers following the introduction of EC Regulation 2037/2000.

Ross Finnie: The currently available options are high-temperature incineration within the United Kingdom and export to European Union states with suitable treatment facilities. However, we are hopeful that suitable treatment facilities will soon become available within the UK.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is currently being given to local authorities with regard to the storage and/or treatment of end-of-life refrigerators following the introduction of EC Regulation 2037/2000.

Ross Finnie: The Executive wrote to local authorities on 14 September 2001 to inform them of the new disposal requirements, and on 6 December 2001 to inform them of storage standards. The second letter also conveyed the Executive’s estimates of waste refrigerator arising by local authority area, to enable the relevant authority to plan effectively for dealing with them. Local authorities will also be informed of treatment standards, when the draft guidance (which is currently the subject of consultation) has been finalised.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with regard to the establishment of a facility which will recycle refrigerators and freezers in accordance with EC Regulation 2037/2000.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19532 on 13 November 2002. We are aware that several companies are investigating the establishment of treatment facilities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4360 by Ross Finnie on 20 December 2001, what comparative information it holds which other EC countries are in a similar position in respect of the implementation of EC Regulation 2037/2000.

Ross Finnie: The Executive does not collate data on the extent to which other countries discharge their international obligations.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first aware of EC Regulation 2037/2000 and what preparations were made for its implementation.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has been aware of the final terms of EC Regulation 2037/2000 since June 2000.

  The Executive worked closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to publicise the requirements of the EC Regulation. UK guidance was issued by the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department of Trade and Industry in July 1999, in advance of the EC Regulation being finalised. The Executive issued additional guidance in October 2000, immediately after the regulation took effect, and further guidance was issued in September and December 2001, prior to obligations on the disposal of domestic refrigeration equipment entering into force on 1 January 2002. Guidance was also made available on the Executive's website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/environment/ozone/substances.asp.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice has been given to businesses interested on establishing facilities which will recycle refrigerators and freezers in accordance with EC Regulation 2037/2000.

Ross Finnie: The Executive wrote to the waste management industry and others on 14 September 2001 to inform them of the new disposal requirements, and on 6 December 2001 to inform them of the storage standards. Guidance is also being prepared on treatment standards.

  In addition, Executive officials have been in frequent ad-hoc contact with individual companies investigating the business potential in Scotland of disposing of fridges to the new standards.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many refrigerators and freezers are currently estimated to be stored by local authorities.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many refrigerators and freezers are estimated to be discarded each year in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19533 on 13 November 2001.